SWOSU Celebrates 125th Anniversary with New Campaign

The bell tower of SWOSU's original Administration Building inspired the university's official 125th anniversary mark.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) has launched a university-wide campaign in celebration of its 125^th anniversary and the generations of students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters who have shaped the university since 1901. The campaign continues celebrations that began earlier this year and gives Bulldogs everywhere new ways to take part in the milestone.

At the center of the campaign is a new anniversary mark inspired by the bell tower of SWOSU's original Administration Building. The design brings one of the university's earliest landmarks into the celebration and gives anniversary materials a recognizable connection to SWOSU's beginnings.

SWOSU was established March 8, 1901, when the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature authorized a normal school in southwestern Oklahoma. Since then, SWOSU has grown from an institution preparing teachers into a comprehensive university whose graduates serve communities across Oklahoma and around the world. The anniversary celebrates that growth and the generations who have made SWOSU part of their lives.

"SWOSU's 125th anniversary gives us an opportunity to honor the generations of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters who have shaped this university while also looking toward what comes next," said Jonathan "Boone" Clemmons, assistant vice president for PR and Marketing. "We want this celebration to bring the SWOSU community together and give Bulldogs everywhere a way to celebrate their connection to the university."

Official SWOSU 125th Anniversary merchandise will be available beginning Sept. 14 at the Alma Mater Merc, SWOSU's campus bookstore. The collection will give Bulldogs a lasting reminder of the milestone.

The anniversary website at 125.swosu.edu tells how Weatherford secured the university and how SWOSU alumni later carried their education into NASA's Mission Control. It also shares the history of the original bell tower that inspired the anniversary mark.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves more than 5,000 students and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit www.swosu.edu.